Compressor augmented array processing

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the use of compressors, with an optional noise extractor, to improve audio sensing performance of one or more microphones. The audio sensing performance of a single element microphone array with dynamic range compression can be improved by the use of a noise extractor, to modify the operation of the compressor, typically to avoid noise floor amplification. Dynamic range compression can be applied to the output of two or more element microphone array processing with the optional use of a noise extractor. Dynamic range compression can precede the microphone array processing with the optional use of a noise extractor. Syllabic dynamic range compression may be used in one or more element microphone arrays, with the optional use of a noise extractor, which increases speech recognition accuracy.

1 . A system comprising:
 an array of one or more configurable compressors, each configurable compressor receiving a digitized signal representative of an audible input, each configurable compressor providing a compressed signal as an output;   a digitizer that provides the digitized signal to one of the one or more configurable compressors.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a microphone for detecting the audible input and for providing an input signal to the digitizer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more configurable compressors comprises a syllabic compressor and wherein the compressed signal is provided to a speech recognition system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of parameters controlling operation of each syllabic compressor is configurable, the plurality of parameters including two or more of a compression ratio, attack and release times, a kneepoint and a threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the or more configurable compressors comprise a plurality of compressors, each of the plurality of compressors operates within a selected band of frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of compressors is configured independently from the other compressors. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of microphones, each microphone providing an input signal that is digitized and provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of compressors. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one configurable setting of each of the plurality of compressors is coordinated with a corresponding setting of another of the compressors. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one configurable setting includes a gain setting and is coordinated with the corresponding setting of the another setting to obtain gain matching of the plurality of compressors.